Our take on the NuForce Air DAC Receiver™

by Dave Bar

Stream music wirelessly to your sound system

The NuForce Air DAC Receiver offers an easy way to turn your computer, iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod® into a high-quality wireless audio source that plays through your hi-fi rig. Simply match up this compact device with one or more of NuForce's digital transmitters:

uTX USB dongle for use with your computer
iTX dongle for use with your docking iPod, iPhone, or iPad

Then plug the Air DAC into your home theater receiver, stereo amplifier, or even a pair of powered speakers to create your own interference-free, point-to-point wireless music system.

The Air DAC Receiver's built-in digital-to-analog converter delivers clear, full-bandwidth sound from your computer or Apple® portable devices. And because it's a stand-alone wireless system, you don't need a Wi-Fi® network to use it. Each receiver can connect to as many as four transmitters, and each transmitter can send audio to as many as four receivers.

Optional uTX USB transmitters make it easy to enjoy computer-based music on your home audio system without the hassle of wires.

An optional iTX transmitter turned this iPod nano® into a wireless music source for your home audio system.

The Air DAC Receiver's simple RCA audio connections make it easy to plug into virtually any stereo system or powered speakers.

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Highlights:

plays music from your computer, iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod® using optional NuForce uTX and iTX wireless transmitters
features RCA audio outputs for easy connection to a stereo, powered speakers, or home theater system
each DAC/receiver can connect to as many as four transmitters (sold separately)
Wi-Fi network not required — uses point-to-point 2.4GHz wireless technology for uncompressed, full-audio-bandwidth transmission
simple control, no software, setup, or pairing required
supports audio sample rates up to 16-bit/48kHz
when using uTX transmitter, compatible with files up to 24-bit/192kHz (downconverts high-res files to 16-bit resolution for playback)
frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
THD + Noise: 0.03%
signal-to-noise ratio: greater than 91 dB
external power supply with cord included
3-3/16"W x 1"H x 4-1/8"D
warranty: 1 year
Our 60-day money-back guarantee

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What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

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What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

Wireless DAC
AC power adapter (with attached 58" DC cord)
Instruction Booklet

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Features

Overview: The NuForce Air DAC is a combination 2.4GHz wireless receiver and a premium quality digital-to-analog converter that uses SKAA & HPX technology. The NuForce Air DAC lets you stream music from your computer USB port or Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad using NuForce's uTX USB transmitter (773UTX, sold separately) or iTX iPod transmitter (773ITX, sold separately) to your home entertainment system with CD-quality sound and minimal latency or interference. With SKAA & HPX technology you no longer have to choose between the convenience of a wireless audio system and the Hi-Fi CD-quality sound of a wired system; now you get both.

Discrete Wireless Connection: The NuForce Air DAC wireless DAC/receiver and any device fitted with an appropriate matching TX transmitter (sold separately) can be combined to form a wireless audio network; no WiFi "hotspot" needed for reception. Each transmitter can send audio to four receivers, and each receiver can connect to as many as four transmitters.

SKAA Wireless Technology: The NuForce Air DAC wireless DAC/receiver and associated TX transmitters (sold separately) are based on a new wireless technology known as SKAA. SKAA technology provides seamless operation and a consistent user interface across different SKAA devices, via 2.4GHZ wireless point-to-point transmission. Unlike similar wireless devices, the Air DAC and associated TX transmitters (sold separately) do not experience the typical loss in sound quality or interference capability of cell phones and other wireless devices. Rather, they offer CD-quality sound, virtually no latency, a 49-98' range, and a spread-spectrum technology that detects and chooses from among available frequency spectrums in order to avoid interference. Visit www.skaa.com for more detailed information.

HPX Audio Codec: SKAA wireless Technology uses the HPX audio codec from Eleven Engineering Incorporated. The HPX audio codec has several advantages resulting in uncompressed, full-audio bandwidth (20-20k), CD-quality (16bit/48kHz) sound. With HPX audio compression technology, you will be unable to tell the difference between an uncompressed, wired audio source and the NuForce Air DAC system sending CD-quality sound across the SKAA (2.4GHZ) wireless link.

Analog RCA Outputs: The NuForce Air DAC wireless DAC/receiver is fitted with a set of stereo RCA analog audio outputs to connect to your home entertainment system (audio cables not included).

External Power Supply: The NuForce Air DAC operates off of standard household AC current using its included external power supply.